Farr West honoring veterans and their families with ‘low-key’ ceremony
TIM VANDENACK, Standard-Examiner
James Hicks, left, who fought in the Korean War with the U.S. Navy, sits on a float with other U.S. military veterans and their family members on Monday, July 5, 2021. They were readying for the start of the Farr West Freedom Festival parade. Hicks' sister Sharon Austin sits to his left. She's holding a photo of her late husband, Milton Austin, who served in the U.S. Navy.FARR WEST — In honor of Veterans Day this Friday, Farr West City will be holding a flag-raising ceremony at the Smith Family Park veteran plaza located at 2500 W. 4000 North. Members of the Fremont High School band will be performing during the ceremony, scheduled to begin at 11 a.m.
West Valley Mayor Ken Phippen said, historically, the city’s low-key veteran ceremony has always been pretty small, but they are hoping to grow.
Retiring of the American flag at the veteran plaza brings a handful of locals to the park twice a year, on Veterans Day as well as Memorial Day. It is one of Phippen’s favorite activities at the Smith Family Park.
What started as a fundraiser toward building the park on land donated by Randy Marriot and the Smith family, of local hunting and fishing store Smith & Edwards, turned into a veteran-geared project.
Engraved bricks by the dozens are incorporated into the veteran plaza, each bearing the name of a veteran. Not only are the bricks donated, but the work put into customizing them is donated as well.
Phippen said Mike Dickemore with MD Engraving in Pleasant View enjoys engraving bricks for veterans and has 40 of them ready to be placed at the plaza, only Phippen is trying to figure out how to implement them so as to make room for more over the coming years.
Farr West is joined by many communities and organizations throughout the state honoring veterans and their families. For a full list of Veterans Day events, visit veterans.utah.gov.